Neponset Village Board

Published: Friday, Feb. 28, 2014 3:00 p.m. CST

NEPONSET — The Neponset Village Board took action on several items at its Feb. 19 meeting in the village hall.

The board approved the January board meeting minutes after amending them to correct the term “state’s attorney” to “attorney general’s” office. Also, it was noted people were misreading the January meeting minutes about water meters. The $50 increase was for the person who reads the water meter, not for an increase to the water bills.

• Trustee Gene Costin reported a new culvert will be installed in April when the weather permits. Costin said he was also concerned about the early starting time for meetings, starting in April. Following discussion, the board voted to change the meeting start time for summer to 7 p.m., starting in April.

• Trustee Mandy Mueller had no new items to report this month.

• Trustee Ken Snyder said he was asked to report for Markus Chapman, since Wayne Gerrond was unable to attend the meeting, regarding a problem with the flow meter and chart reader at the sewer plant; the meter is not working. The cost to repair the equipment would be $1,000 or more with no guarantee on how long the repairs would last. The equipment is as old as the sewer plant itself and was repaired once before. The village could buy a new updated model at a cost of $3,000 to $4,000. The recommendation from Markus Champman and Larry Griffiths is to buy a new meter. The board voted to go with the new purchase.

Also, Snyder said the Illinois Department of Transportation requested a meeting with the village to inform officials of assistance available to small municipalities like Neponset.

The village does have its surveillance cameras and is waiting to get them installed.

In other business:

• Trustee Barb Jannie said she and Tracy Dutton are working on the village picnic days. Reimbursement for expenses will be made for going to get special events liquor license for the picnic day’s beer garden.

• Trustee John Pratt reported he wants to make sure all residents are aware that if they have complaints regarding any village ordinance, they need to go to village hall and fill out a complaint form and sign it. Residents can call the village clerk at 309-594-2201 for village hall hours, Pratt said.

• Mayor Carl Rohrig reported it has been brought to his attention the stop sign at First Street and Route 34 was damaged and knocked down. When it was replaced, the sign was put upside down. The clerk will call the county to see who is reasonable for this sign and if the village can reverse the sign.

• On the agenda for next month will be the stray dog issue. Mueller agreed to get a committee to look into erecting a kennel, procedures for handling the dogs, and at what cost.

• During the open forum portion of the meeting, a resident asked what she can do about snowmobiles running across her property. The board said it will review the ordinance and see what can be done and then inform the police to watch for snowmobiles.

• The board noted the four-wheeler permits expired as of Jan. 1, and the new permits for 2014 are available at village hall.